


Free as a Bird

by ohshititsjay



Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: Connor Murphy & Zoe Murphy Get Along, Cynthia Murphy Is a Good Mother, F/M, Graduation, High School, Implied Evan Hansen/Connor Murphy, M/M, Nervousness, Teen Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 13:55:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16064516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohshititsjay/pseuds/ohshititsjay
Summary: Saying Zoe was nervous would be an understatement. For so long she has been waiting for this day, but the anxiety that was clawing its way up her throat was keeping her from celebrating. It only made her want to puke. Her stomach churned, causing her to gag slightly as she felt bile build up in the back of her throat. Zoe covered her mouth with her hand before bolting out of the auditorium and towards the women's restroom. She ran straight to the empty stall, the door slamming closed behind her. The girl kneeled in front of the toilet before gagging and releasing the contents from her mouth as tears brimmed her eyes.





	Free as a Bird

Saying Zoe was nervous would be an understatement. For so long she has been waiting for this day, but the anxiety that was clawing its way up her throat was keeping her from celebrating. It only made her want to puke. Her stomach churned, causing her to gag slightly as she felt bile build up in the back of her throat. Zoe covered her mouth with her hand before bolting out of the auditorium and towards the women's restroom. She ran straight to the empty stall, the door slamming closed behind her. The girl kneeled in front of the toilet before gagging and releasing the contents from her mouth as tears brimmed her eyes.

Zoe’s hair fell around her face as she kept her head down. She breathed heavily, gripping the sides of the toilet tightly. Zoe swallowed, scooting back to where her back rests against the door to the stall. She leaned her head back, closing her eyes and takes a deep breath. The girl pulled her knees to her chest, tucking them underneath her chin. Zoe opened her eyes, glancing down at the tiled floor of the rest room, tracing small circles against the surface.

She wasn't sure why she was so anxious about today. It was just a regular Saturday, which she and the rest of the seniors were graduating. She should be happy. Her parents and boyfriend are there. Connor and his boyfriend are there. They’re going to watch her walk across the stage to get her high school diploma. Her ticket to freedom. So why was she so nervous?

Zoe knew that she should be happy—excited even, like the rest of her classmates that were gathered in the auditorium. But for the first time in her life, Zoe was terrified for what the future held for her. Her life was a living hell for her during junior year, especially when she had gotten pregnant with her’s and Jared’s child. She was poked and prodded, called a slut. There were rumors going around the school and it all was pushing her closer and closer to her breaking point. Jared, Connor and Evan were the only ones keeping her sane through all of it, even through the trial.

Zoe picked her phone up, noticing it laying on the ground next to the toilet. She turned it on, glancing at the time before sighing. The ceremony was starting in twenty minutes and she was sitting on the dirty floor of her school’s restroom. Zoe sighed as she forces herself off of the ground and flushes the toilet before exiting the stall she was hiding in. She rinsed her mouth out, swishing the water around before spitting it out. Zoe washes her hands. Once she finishes, she dries them off then glances at herself in the mirror.

Her graduation cap was messed up, probably from when she had sprinted to the nearest restroom. She quickly fixes it, placing the tassel on the right side like it was supposed to be. Her eyes meets her reflections for a moment before she forces a small smile onto her face.

At that moment the restroom door opened and she could hear the sound of heels clicking against the tiles and the sound of a baby giggling. The young adult looks over at the entrance of the restroom to see her mother, Cynthia, standing there. She is holding Zoe’s daughter while wearing a beautifully fitted white dress that stopped just below her knees. Cynthia gave the girl a concerned look.

“Hey, honey. We saw you run in here, are you okay?” Her mother asked as she walked over to her.

Zoe offered her mom a nervous smile before taking her own daughter into her arms. “No, I'm terrified.”

She looked over at her little girl, who happened to be smiling up at Zoe. Zoe pressed her forehead against the one year old’s, sighing and closing her eyes. Once again, she heard the sound of her mother’s heels clicking against the ground and feels a hand against her shoulder. Zoe looks over at her mom. Cynthia smiles softly at her.

“Honey, it's okay to be terrified.” She felt Cynthia give her shoulder a light squeeze. “Just take it one step at a time. You have come so far, honey.”

She nods slightly, taking a deep breath. “I know, I know I have. We all have. I'm just scared of my future. What if I don't even have one?” Zoe handed Cynthia her daughter before turning back towards the mirror. “Everything had gone to shit and I just...I don't want any of us to go through anything like that again. Or worse.”

“Zoe, honey, life is a mess. The world isn't all sunshine and rainbows. But it just pushes us to go on, to take what life has to offer by the horns and go for it.” Zoe looks at her mom. “You have me, your father and Connor. You have Jared and this little girl. We will be there when you need us. You have a future, dear, you just need a little help to see it. I love you.”

Zoe smiled a little before hugging her mom, being careful not to crush the baby as she did so. “Thanks, mom.” Zoe whispered. After a brief moment, she pulled away taking a deep breath. “Let's get this over with.”

With that said, Zoe and her mom walked out of the rest room, hurrying back to the auditorium. Zoe hurries to her spot, making it just in time as the ceremony starts. Time seems to slow down as the Valedictorian says their speech. Zoe’s heart pounded against her chest.

An hour and thirty minutes pass by and soon she was called up to get her diploma. Zoe stood up, breathing deeply as she makes her way across the stage. Zoe stood in front of Mr. Howard, seeing that he was smiling down at her. He hands her her diploma before holding his hand out for her to shake. She hesitated for a moment, glancing over at her family and then at Jared. He gave a small nod, seeing a small smirk play at his lips. Zoe felt all of her anxiety melt away before she looked back up at the principal. She shakes his hand, offering a small smile of her own before walking off the stage.

Soon the ceremony was over and Zoe felt better than she had. She glanced down at the diploma she was holding, smiling like an idiot. Zoe honestly felt great, she did it. She managed to get through the hardest years of her life.

Zoe was free. Free as a bird. She wasn't sure where her wings would take her, but she felt ready to take on whatever thrown her way.

Eventually she met up with everyone else, receiving congratulations from them all. They all head out of the school. Before entering the car, she glanced back at the building one last time before raising her right hand and holds up her middle finger. She could hear Jared chuckling behind her before he wraps his arms around her waist. Zoe smiles a little before turning around, draping her arms around his neck.

“How's it feel to finally be free from that hell?” He asks her.

“It feels great. Glad that whole part of my life is behind me.” She looks up at him, meeting Jared’s eyes. “Thank you, Jared Kleinman, for being in my life. I love you.”

Jared leaned down, pressing his lips against her own. Zoe kissed back, closing her eyes. A moment passes and Jared pulls away. “I love you too, Zoe Murphy.”


End file.
